The Spark that Lit the War on Terror (ForeignPolicy.com)

(Sept. 30, 2016) It all seemed so easy back then. When American Marines landed in Beirut 34 years ago this month, they came, as their commander put it, “to help our Lebanese friends.” The problem was, friends can be fickle. The Reagan administration saw white hats and back hats in Lebanon, when in fact, they all wore shades of gray.